Benefit of Lifting/HIIT

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NJL13500
NJL13500 Posts: 433 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have been heavy lifting (for me) and incorporating high intensity interval training (HIIT) into my workouts for the past couple of months. I've increased the calories that I eat from 1500-1600 to 2000 per day. I lift 3 times per week (I do split body workouts) and do HIIT twice per week. I do one long run (I'm training for a half marathon) and the last day is rest/easy cardio.

I wear a BodyMedia armband that calculates how many calories I burn throughout the day. I have noticed that over the past week or so the amount of calories that I burn just doing "normal stuff" has increased by about 200-300 calories per day. I am a teacher and spend some of my day up and about in my classroom and some of the day sitting in meetings or at my desk grading. On one of my more sedentary days at work this week I noticed that I burned more calories than usual if I had done the same amount of sitting. Thinking that I was more active than I thought I made a note to check the same thing the next day. My calories were higher again.

So many people tell you the benefits of weight training and HIIT. This new information has turned me into their biggest fan. I know that everyone is different, but I have proof for me that I actually boosted my metabolism by heavy lifting and HIIT.

Ladies who are afraid to "lift like a man". Go for it! It works! It makes you feel strong and lean and actually works for you when you are not lifting.

Replies

  • boxem180
    boxem180 Posts: 63 Member
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    Thank you for posting this! I just started doing almost the same workout schedule as you (minus the training for half maration - so cool BTW! Good luck!) so I'm glad that you've seen a difference. I've fallen in love with HIIT and am really glad to know that's helped you a lot. It's only been since the beginning of January for me but what I've noticed is that my mile's a little faster and my endurance on my longer cardio sessions is a bit higher. :)
  • sailinjen
    sailinjen Posts: 103 Member
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    so what exactly is HIIT?
  • NJL13500
    NJL13500 Posts: 433 Member
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    HIIT is HIgh Intensity Interval Training and there are so many ways you can do it. Since I am training for a half marathon, I have been using the treadmill for my sessions. (It's cold and snowy on the ground in MD lately). I warm up for 5 minutes at a light jog and then I run for 60 seconds at a pace that I could not keep up any longer than that. Then I walk quickly to recover for one minute and then I go back to a jog.

    So my treadmill workout looks like
    5 minutes 6.0 mph warm up
    1 minute 8.2-8.5 mph (depending how I feel that day)
    1 minute 3.5-4.0 mph
    3 minutes 6.0 mph
    (repeat 5-10 times)
    5 minute cool down at 4.0 mph

    I have also used the tension on the elliptical machine for an interval and some people do it with weight training too. I'll expand once I finish my half marathon, but so far I have gotten faster and have more endurance. It also seems to make the time pass a bit faster for me.
  • notthatthis
    notthatthis Posts: 218
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    HIIT is HIgh Intensity Interval Training and there are so many ways you can do it. Since I am training for a half marathon, I have been using the treadmill for my sessions. (It's cold and snowy on the ground in MD lately). I warm up for 5 minutes at a light jog and then I run for 60 seconds at a pace that I could not keep up any longer than that. Then I walk quickly to recover for one minute and then I go back to a jog.

    So my treadmill workout looks like
    5 minutes 6.0 mph warm up
    1 minute 8.2-8.5 mph (depending how I feel that day)
    1 minute 3.5-4.0 mph
    3 minutes 6.0 mph
    (repeat 5-10 times)
    5 minute cool down at 4.0 mph

    I have also used the tension on the elliptical machine for an interval and some people do it with weight training too. I'll expand once I finish my half marathon, but so far I have gotten faster and have more endurance. It also seems to make the time pass a bit faster for me.

    That is how a HIIT program might look, but the intensity is actually linked to MaxHR and VO2 Max - where you pound your heart to 90-95% of MHR from anything from 10 seconds to 70 seconds - known as the anaerobic zone. The interval is a tiem period to drop your heart to 80-85% of max for anything from 20 seocnds to 120 seconds and then the next interval is to get the Intensity back to 90% or higher of MaxHR. Consequently the Intervals change either in time or difficulty in order for the heart to respond.
  • No_Finish_Line
    No_Finish_Line Posts: 3,662 Member
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    totally down with that fact that weight trainning and/or HIIT is going to burn extra calories by boosting your metabolism.

    Not getting how thats going to show up on Arm band especially if your standing/sitting/walking the same as before. I thought stuff like that was all it measured, i mean, its not taking any measurements from your body is it? it doesn't even track your HR i dont think
  • LaurnWhit
    LaurnWhit Posts: 261 Member
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    I was eating 1500 calories before lifting....then I started 3 times a week too with cardio videos 3 times a week and now I eat 2000 calories to keep me from starving!!
  • sailinjen
    sailinjen Posts: 103 Member
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    HIIT is HIgh Intensity Interval Training and there are so many ways you can do it. Since I am training for a half marathon, I have been using the treadmill for my sessions. (It's cold and snowy on the ground in MD lately). I warm up for 5 minutes at a light jog and then I run for 60 seconds at a pace that I could not keep up any longer than that. Then I walk quickly to recover for one minute and then I go back to a jog.

    So my treadmill workout looks like
    5 minutes 6.0 mph warm up
    1 minute 8.2-8.5 mph (depending how I feel that day)
    1 minute 3.5-4.0 mph
    3 minutes 6.0 mph
    (repeat 5-10 times)
    5 minute cool down at 4.0 mph

    I have also used the tension on the elliptical machine for an interval and some people do it with weight training too. I'll expand once I finish my half marathon, but so far I have gotten faster and have more endurance. It also seems to make the time pass a bit faster for me.
  • sailinjen
    sailinjen Posts: 103 Member
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    I gotcha, thanks for the info....Im pretty much doing that now...dont want to get too compacent just running so i switch it up...doing HIIT and didnt even know it!!! haha
  • SmartAlec03211988
    SmartAlec03211988 Posts: 1,896 Member
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    After lifting weights my calorie burn has increased as well according to my BodyMedia FIT, without doing any additional activity.

    I love it.
  • Isakizza
    Isakizza Posts: 754 Member
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    Thanks for this! I started weight training a month or so ago and pretty new to it still. I've noticed huge improvements in not only my body but overall fitness level. I love it, makes you feel so powerful. And ladies, we don't bulk up so don't worry! This month I increased my wts a bit and train 3 days instead of 2. Haven't done too much HIIT, but usually add some good cardio in between lifting days. I'm excited!
  • notthatthis
    notthatthis Posts: 218
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    I gotcha, thanks for the info....Im pretty much doing that now...dont want to get too compacent just running so i switch it up...doing HIIT and didnt even know it!!! haha

    If you follow that as reference, you are not doing HIIT.
  • skinnyinnotime
    skinnyinnotime Posts: 4,141 Member
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    The same has happened to me and I actually find it difficult to eat enough now to not lose weight, oh the irony!!

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